The Heirs of Dark and Light

Chapter 26

My eyes fluttered open. I didn't know why I had awoken, I was comfortable where I was. Eli was a surprisingly good pillow despite his 'rock hard abs' as he liked to call them. I sat up, moving slowly careful not to wake him. Looking up at the nights sky now I felt restless. The need to move built up in my legs. Like an itch waiting to be scratched. I eased back the covers and tiptoed over to the corner of the room. I quickly got changed and slipped out the door, careful to avoid any squeaky floorboards as I went.

I didn't know where I was walking. I was just wandering round without an aim. The streets of Velaris were empty, save a few males and females stumbling home merrily after a night on the town. I smiled at them, at their incoherent rambling. I wandered if that's what I looked like after a night out with Lila.

Lila.

I changed my direction. I didn't know exactly where Amren's apartment was but I was sure I could find it. I found myself walking a little quicker with my newfound purpose. Amren probably wouldn't be too pleased to see me in the middle of the night but this couldn't wait till morning.

My fist connected with the door, once, twice. Quick short, sharp knocks. Faintly, I heard a groan and then shuffling footsteps towards the door. The lock clicked and the door swung open. I quickly readjusted my gaze downwards when nothing met my eyes. I never seemed to remember exactly how short she was.

"Girl," it seemed to be both a question and a statement all at once.

She opened the door a little wider and I walked inside. By the look in her eye she knew why I was here.

The lock clicked back into place behind me and Amren sighed.

"It's not the news you were looking for girl,"

I nodded. My chest already felt heavier. Id let hope lift me up and now it was dropping me back down. I landed with a thud. In response I just gave her a small nod, staring down at my feet.

"We have found something though."

My eyes snapped back up.

"What?"

She huffed out a laugh.

"Sit girl,"

I made to protest but a sharp look had me aiming for the low sofa sat just below the large window facing the Sidra.

Now lay back In the blue velvet cushions I shot her a look of my own. One that said to start talking soon, or else.

"The book did not speak of portals, however, it did speak of the symbols. Though I can't find their exact origin, I do know they hold great power."

I felt myself getting impatient "We knew that already though didn't we? They suppressed my power completely, that's no easy task."

Amren smiled. It was slightly unnerving to see her lips without their familiar red tint. I knew it was lipstick and that it had to come off at some point but that hadn't stopped me getting so used to the sight of it, that it had become part of her.

"Yes, we knew that but if you'd let me finish I would've been able to say that the power though has the capacity to be used for good but in its history the nature it's been wielded in has been bad. Some of our old enemies have used it as such, never for anything groundbreaking. They didn't have the capability to use it to its full potential."
She paused for a second as if pondering that possibility but continued.

"The symbols require sacrifice to unleash its power. I'm not just talking about a drop of blood I'm talking about your soul. Think of it as the next step up from your wrydmarks. Anam, is the name given in the old languages. Just translates to 'soul' today. Not very original." She laughed dryly at her own joke.

"So we know a name? And that they were used for bad. That's it?"

"Careful girl. But no. We have some information on how they could work but it's limited."

She got up and pulled out the book, and started flipping through the pages. She stopped and angled it towards me.

"Pages, gone. It's like that throughout the whole thing. Just when it's getting really good. Gone."

I sat for a moment considering her words.

"Can I have that?" I asked.

She looked sceptical "Why? You can't read the old language."

I smiled at her,

"True, but it will be useful when I'm trying to find those missing pages."

Amren scoffed. "And how do you suppose your going to find them?"

"You said it yourself, your 'enemies' knew of these symbols. They must've know about them somehow and if this is the only book on the content that mentions them, my guess is that they had it last."

"They had it but didn't use it?" She challenged.

I'd started pacing without realising.

"They clearly had more than we do now if they managed to use them in the first place. They have clearly ripped out at least some of those missing pages, who's to say they didn't rip out them all!"

I paused to look at Amren. She was staring at me with a look on her face. I couldn't tell if she was impressed or annoyed that She hasn't thought of it first

After what seemed like an age of us just staring at each other she smiled.

"Well shit. Looks like we've got another thing to start looking for girl,"

I flopped back down onto the sofa with a smile on my face,

"Looks like we do."